The NY Jets were without defensive captain C.J. Mosley in this past Thursday's 24-3 win over the New England Patriots. Mosley sat out of the game after suffering a toe injury early in the team's Week 2 win over the Tennessee Titans.
The belief was that Mosley would have a better chance to play in Week 4 after the Jets were given 10 days off, and while that may be the case, the coaching staff doesn't seem optimistic about his chances.
Mosley was held out of practice again on Wednesday, and head coach Robert Saleh was non-committal about his star linebacker's status for Week 4, insisting the team was being cautious with him.
Once again, it sounds like Mosley's availability could be a game-time decision. Jamien Sherwood would be in line to start opposite Quincy Williams again if Mosley is unable to play.
Will McDonald's breakout season
Don't look now, but Will McDonald ranks second among all players in sacks through the first three weeks of the season. McDonald's five sacks have him standing alone behind only Detroit Lions star Aidan Hutchinson for the league lead in sacks entering Week 4.
The former Iowa State star has made the most of his extended opportunity with Haason Reddick away from the team and Jermaine Johnson now out for the season. The Jets believe he's still only scratching the surface of his potential.
Head coach Robert Saleh told reporters on Wednesday that he "still doesn't even think [McDonald] has reached where he's going to go." Saleh is absolutely right.
While McDonald's sack numbers are gaudy, he's only managed 10 pressures on the season, ranking 22nd in the NFL. He's remarkably averaging one sack for every two pressures — a figure that obviously isn't sustainable.
The Jets believe McDonald will only continue to get better as the weeks go on. That's great news for a Jets pass rush that ranks third in sacks over the first three games of the season.
Broncos lose key defensive starter to injury
The Jets aren't the only team dealing with an injury to one of their top linebackers. The Denver Broncos will be without standout defensive captain Alex Singleton when they take on the Jets in Week 4.
Singleton, Denver's leading tackler, suffered a torn ACL early in the team's Week 3 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Miraculously, Singleton played most of the game with the torn ACL, playing 57 defensive snaps and leading the team in tackles.
Singleton racked up a whopping 340 tackles between 2022 and 2023 with the Broncos and has become one of the most important parts of his team's defense. His absence is significant.
The Broncos signed veterans Zach Cunningham and former Jet Kwon Alexander to their practice squad on Wednesday to provide additional depth behind the likes of Cody Barton, Justin Strnad, and Kristian Welch.
